UNITED STATES

President Barack Obama on Monday projected the budget deficit would peak at a fresh record in 2010 before easing as he pushes for fiscal responsibility while battling double-digit unemployment.

Toyota Motor Corp started shipping parts on Monday to U.S. dealers who were prepared to stay open late to fix vehicles that are affected by the most damaging recall in the automaker's history.

U.S. stocks rose on Monday, following three weeks of losses, on stronger-than-expected U.S. manufacturing data and results from Exxon Mobil Corp that beat Wall Street estimates.

Chinese state media blasted the United States on Monday for a planned $6.4 billion arms package for Taiwan, while a U.S. official said Washington was committed to helping the island defend itself.

Consumer spending rose slightly less than expected in December as savings jumped to a six-month high, indicating that households remained too cautious to spend despite an improvement in incomes.

A measure of the manufacturing sector hit its highest level since 2004 last month, but consumer spending grew only slightly as households remained cautious on the economic recovery and any increase in jobs, data showed on Monday.

A study by British scientists found that around half of those deaths could be averted if people ate healthier food and quit smoking, and experts warned there was no room for complacency when it came to heart health risks.

Brazilian sugar and biofuel giant Cosan plans to merge its ethanol and fuel distribution units with Royal Dutch Shell in a deal worth up to $12 billion, extending a trend of growing foreign investment in the fast-growing industry.

Humana Inc reported higher quarterly profit on Monday, in line with Wall Street targets, as improved performance of its Medicare plans for the elderly offset weakness in its plans serving employers.

(Corrects month in para 11 to December)Consumer spending rose slightly less than expected in December as savings jumped to a six-month high, indicating that households remained too cautious to spend despite an improvement in incomes.

British and U.S. researchers said they had grown a crystal that enabled them to see the structure of an enzyme called integrase, which is found in retroviruses like HIV and is a target for some of the newest HIV medicines.

U.S. stocks rose on Monday, following three weeks of losses, as data showed the U.S. manufacturing sector continued to expand in January and after better-than-expected results from Exxon Mobil Corp .

Oil consolidated around $73 per barrel on Monday, stabilizing after three weeks of falls, with the outlook still clouded by concerns over the prospects for global growth and sluggish fuel demand.

Exxon Mobil Corp reported a 23 percent decline in its fourth-quarter profit on Monday, topping Wall Street expectations, as weak demand for fuel in the global economic slowdown hurt the largest U.S. oil company's refining business.

Exxon Mobil Corp reported a 23 percent decline in its fourth-quarter profit on Monday, topping Wall Street expectations, as weak demand for fuel in the global economic slowdown hurt the largest U.S. oil company's refining business.

Toyota Motor Corp said production of eight models involved in a safety recall would resume on February 8, as it detailed plans to fix 2.4 million vehicles and sought to salvage its reputation with a PR blitz.

President Barack Obama on Monday projected the budget deficit would soar to a fresh record in 2010, challenging his push for fiscal responsibility while driving to defeat double-digit unemployment.

Consumer spending rose slightly less than expected last month as savings jumped to a six-month high, indicating that households remained too cautious to spend despite an improvement in incomes.

Brazil's Cosan, the world's largest ethanol and sugar processor, agreed on Monday to merge its ethanol and fuel distribution business with Royal Dutch Shell in a deal worth as much as $12 billion.

Consumer spending rose slightly less than expected in December as households opted to save extra cash, lifting savings to a six-month high, a government report showed on Monday.

Stock index futures rose on Monday after Wall Street ended January with its worst month in nearly a year as investors bet that data will show signs the U.S. economy continues to mend.